The proposed Ikea retail outlet in Ballymun, Dublin, could have the equivalent of one visit per year from every citizen of the State when it is completed - but alternative locations for the store might have no public transport provision and could increase the "carbon footprint" of customers visiting any store, an expert for Ikea told a public hearing yesterday.
The Swedish retail giant also plans to provide subsidised home delivery for customers who use public transport, traffic and transport expert Donal McDaid of Arup told the Bórd Pleanála oral hearing in Dublin.
Its "worst case" analysis of trip generation rates for the store showed that its development, close to the Ballymun Road junction of the M50, would lead to an increase of less than 5 per cent over the existing traffic flows on the national road network during peak weekday evening traffic.
While he accepted that Ikea is primarily a car-based trip generator, Mr Mc Daid said the outlet, which will not open until 10am, would also have no traffic impact during the key weekday morning peak period, according to Arup's analysis.
The main impact on the M50 during weekends would be limited to between the M1 and the N3 intersections, with a worse case increase of up to 13 per cent of existing flows, he said.
However, existing weekend peaks were some 20 per cent lower than highest weekday peaks, and there would be greater spare capacity available at this time on the local and national road network.
Previously, the NRA had told the hearing that research carried out on its behalf showed that 70 per cent of trips to Ikea at weekends would arrive via the M50.
Yesterday's hearing also heard detailed questioning of Hugh Creegan, head of programme management with the NRA, which is opposing the development. The NRA is concerned about what the Ikea development would mean for the capacity of the M50 and the Ballymun junction in particular.
Mr Creegan said he believed the detail of the individual project in question was what was "always important." The planned upgrade of the M50 aimed to cater for demand from traffic until at least 2023, but the proposed development of the Ikea store had led the NRA to be concerned that by 2015 the Ballymun junction would not be sufficient to cater with this demand, Mr Creegan said.
There were also concerns that the development would bring the "failure point" for the junction forward to a very short time period after the store's opening, he said.
The proposed development of the Ikea store was passed by Fingal County Council last October, but was appealed to An Bórd Pleanála by seven parties. The hearing continues today.